Ansel stands still, frozen in place with his eyes wide open, staring at the hell beast. Seeing Loreburn's shadow runes and how he's tying to forcible desummon that… thing. He takes a small step back, to get outside of Loreburn's sight, and then focuses his power.
"Zalgo, we ask for your strength in this fight. Send this thing back to the chaos that birthed it. Empower our fists it do your bidding."
As Loreburn's runes glow and get stronger, Ansel right fist begins get covered in shadow, the edges distorting and wavering. In the moment that the glyphs burst and attempt to close the portal, Ansel focuses his energy and punches out, forcing his energy and that of Zalgo into the de-summoning, causing it to flare up even higher
The worm was engulfed in black fire, almost completely covered in the burning shadow that was Loreburn's magic. Then, if that weren't enough, the hell beast writhed in pain as Ansel and his god supplied an extra boost to the mage's attack.
It wriggled around, slamming the ground every so often to get the shadow off it. In it's pain, the beast slammed against a wooden support beam for a nearby building, turning it to splinters with ease while passing it's burning shadow onto it.
Realizing that the magic wasn't coming off anytime soon, the hell beast retreated back into it's warped reality, leaving the space open once more.
"Oh my, weak little thing in the end wasn't it?" Roger said. "Or perhaps we underestimated the power of our colleagues," replied Walter, his hand still supplying the energy to keep the gate open.
Roger smiled wide at the revelation, even though it seemed the two were keen on killing Loreburn and Ansel here with their little experiment.
Before the thought of victory could plant itself, another rumbling in the air came, with chaotic energies spilling forth from the hell gate. As if it had never happened, the worm shot forth in a triumphant return with no scars. It's head turned towards Loreburn and Ansel.
Out of it's horrid mouth came a foul stench, and a loud roar that was unlike anything a mortal man could comprehend. The roar seemed to attack Loreburn's and Ansel's mind, filling their heads with an excruciatingly loud, incomprehensible voice. The worm soon after stopped it's forceful entry into their minds, leaving them momentarily weary.
"Oh?" Roger said with great interest. "To think we stumbled into the domain of a Greater Demon." said Walter.
As though they too heard the voice in their head, they seemed to understand what the beast had said. In that same moment, the creature curled awkwardly over it's back and now faced Roger and Walter.
"Forgive us, we meant no disrespect." said Walter
The hell beast roared in their faces, "What would you have us do, Great Devourer?" asked, Roger.
Without pause, the mouth of the beast slammed down over Roger, consuming him whole. Walter didn't flinch even though his comrade was eaten inches next to him, or so it looked that way.
"I fear we may have overstepped our boundaries." a voice said from being Loreburn and Ansel.
Roger stood there, perfectly fine, with his one good eye staring at where he was seconds ago.
"I'm afraid we can't reason with him. He's upset that you burned his finger."
The worm curled back over to face Loreburn and Ansel, it's teeth bared and wet with anticipation. Roger replaced himself, instantly, next to his associate and tipped his hat toward the dark mages.
The worm opened it's mouth, sticking out it's salivating tongue, and began coughing up slime covered balls all over the ground. Once the spheres touched earth, they exploded, and from them came horrific little gremlin like creatures.
Standing at only 3 ft. in height, they looked like skin bare children, with 3 clawed hands and a famished physique. Their rib cage showed, and they shook violently when they moved as if their anxiousness to feed was unbearable. Perhaps most disturbing of all was their bald heads, and where a face should be only a wide mouth was present with small nostrils above it.
Ten of these little hell spawn emerged from the worm's mouth, and quickly charged after Loreburn and Ansel. Though their physique looked weak, they had an incredible leap that they soon displayed.
Three of the gremlins leaped right over Loreburn in an attempt to latch onto Ansel while four more went for the Venator mage's legs. The remaining creatures stayed back as if waiting to see what would happen, or perhaps to charge while the two men were distracted.
Ansel throws his hands up to his ears, exclaiming with pain from the beast's forced message in his mind. Managing to remain standing despite the headache this gave him, he watches with wonder as it tries to eat one of the men. When the small creatures burst forth and attack, he discards his worries, and focusing on the task at hand.
"By Zalgo, you will not claim us!"
As the things jump over Loreburn, Ansel spins slightly, pulling his right leg back and driving his left fist straight at the face of the foremost creature. After that blow, he takes a small step back and then attempts to drive his knee into the head of another one right after it lands. He then backs up some, throwing a sweep kick at the third as he does so, trying to pull back and see the effects of his attacks on the creatures
Sweet crown of Maebithea, you don't know how powerful that thing is!
He was interrupted by the small demonspawn vomited up by the beast. His robe fluttered as he took a stumbling jump back, trying to some distance between he and them. Curiously, his shadow, having reformed itself from the runes as the demon attacked again, stayed in place, again detaching itself from his feet. As the demons ran over it, it rocketed into the air, attempting to throw them into the air and away.
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
Ansel's fist knocked back the center creature in the pack of leaping gremlins, sending it flying back in the air before it spontaneously exploded into a putrid green cloud. The scent of the beast was foul and spread quickly on the back of the wind.
The other creatures didn't falter in their leap, and one managed to latch onto Ansel's arm, the one that had thrown the punch. As he leaped back, the third creature landed on the ground, barely missing an opportunity to cling to the priest's clothing. Regardless, once it landed, it charged forward, mouth hanging open, toward Ansel's leg.
It's mouth was not unlike a human's, only wider and more sinister. The gremlin on Ansel's arm tried to make biting attempts at his shoulder while hanging on.
The pack that took a foot approach learned the error of their ways, as they too were sent flying by Loreburn's shadow attack. Like the one that Ansel had punched, they too exploded midair into a putrid green smog that filled the area. The smell was nauseous and now beginning to suffocate the men slightly.
Coughing could be heard at the other side of the scene, as the sentinels that were there previously were now suffering from the gas, and seemed to regain their senses somewhat.
Not taking a chance like their brethren, the last three creatures took a leap toward Loreburn, taking action right after his previous shadow attack.
Glancing at the creature attached to his arm, Ansel focused his energy and then did a palm thrust towards it. Although his hand stopped a few inches short of the beast, it's shadow instead continued forward and assumes the shape of a spike, turning physical while doing so.
"Zalgo will not *cough* tolerate this chaos, beast!"
Coughing as he talks, Ansel then leans back and drives his leg out at the creature that was running at him, driving as much force as he could. He then right himself and drops back into a readied stance.
He'd smelt it before, on the breath of demons he'd been in contact with, in the semi-infernal planes he'd visited. That didn't change the sheer stench of it, one that made him cough and struggle to defend himself from the things. He jumped back into the guards, staggering back and calling to them.
A fire! I need a source of fire, a match, a cigar, anything!
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
The gremlin on Ansel's arm shrieked in pain, before helplessly dropping off him and hitting the ground with a soft thud. The lesser being attacking from the ground met his swift boot then, flying across the scene as if it were inflated with air. Both creatures exploded at the same time into a cloud of noxious gas, the one near Ansel's feet sent a fresh cloud into the priest's face.
The guards watched the chaos clearly for the first time since witnessing the opening of the dimensional gate, unsure of what to do in a situation they weren't trained for.
As Loreburn called out for a source of fire, the lead Sentinel looked at the mage briefly before moving his eyes frantically in all directions.
Ansel begins to hack and cough, the acrid smoke burning his eyes and lungs. His eyes watering, he looks around, trying to figure out what's going on with Loreburn and the two mysterious men. Seeing more of the beasts running towards Loreburn, Ansel decides to protect him and the Sentinels, rather then try to surprise attack the men
He runs forward, his typical speed slowed somewhat by the inhalation of the smoke, and the fatigue caused by his magic usage. Nevertheless, he attempts to catch the 3 creatures before they can get the drop on Loreburn
He stood his ground, silently thanking Ansel for protecting him long enough for him to cast. He braced his legs, throwing out his arms and grabbing the air as if pulling on an invisible rope. The flames flickered as he pulled forward, his arms behind him, pulling against some invisible weight. The flames pulled against their bases, blown towards the mage even in the absence of wind. Loreburn strained, pulling forward, feet shifting in the dirt. Until finally, one of the flames gave, pulling free of its lamp and throwing forward, shortly joined by its siblings. He spun on his heel, ropes of thin fire spinning around his body, straining to keep them spinning even as the sparks and ashes burned his robes.
Back....away!
He was barely in control, straining against the chains of fire as they spin around him, walking forward with even, measured steps, finally lashing out at the demonic creatures around him, one of the chains vaporized in the attack.
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
As Loreburn whips his chain of fire, the foul stench cloud in the air begins to spark and fizzle as the flames pass through them. Upon contact, the little gremlin explodes, catching the other creatures and making them go off as well.
The explosion ignites the rest of the gas in the air, creating a powerful force that knocks back Loreburn, Ansel, and the sentinels. They lie on their backs as consciousness slips away from them.
They're both wakened, stirred by two urgent sentinels. As their focus returns to them, they see that the hell worm is no longer there, nor is the hell gate. More importantly, Walter and Roger are no where to be seen. Yet, the sentinels are quite frantic in getting Loreburn and Ansel up on their feet again.
"Sirs," one starts, "The town has gone mad."
When Loreburn and Ansel get their full bearings back, they notice that a strong current of wind is blowing past them.
"There's a red spike that just appeared in the middle of town, it came out of the ground suddenly and started...conjurin' all these creatures. They carry a plague of sorts with them, every time we slay one, it just explodes and releases this gas." The sentinel spoke fast and quite nervously, it was clear that things were getting out of hand.
"Those ones from Highever are outside the gate and coursing this wind here, to push it all out of Wistvale. But our men can't reach the spike that does all this. The sentinels have their hands full trying to keep the creatures from spreading further out into town, and the damned thing is guarded by...giant worms of some kind."
At that moment, the other sentinel turned and called out everyone to attention.
Coming from up the road was a monster, indescribable almost, as none could rightly know what to call it specifically.
It was tall, 3 meters perhaps, it stood on two legs not unlike a man's. It's body was a large, misshapen mass; it had a bloated back with long tendrils wriggling from it; large oozing nodules; and a single large left arm with a three clawed hand. It's head was that of a diseased lizard, with it's skin peeling off, teeth horrible warped and twisted, and a single bulging red eye.
"By the gods....what the hell is happening to us?"